An affordable, eco-friendly way of heating your home is within reach – it’s biomass, wood chips
BIOMASS HAS A ZERO CO2 BALANCE
What is wood chip?
The raw material for producing wood chips comes 100% from natural forest and plantation wood. This raw material is in the form of logs or branches. Wood chips are produced using fast cutting tools according to the EN ISO 17225-4 standard.
Why is wood chip an excellent fuel for heating?
Wood chips are becoming increasingly popular as a fuel source due to their high availability, potential for self-production, low emissions, and affordability. Compared to other fuel sources like coal or gas, wood chips provide a more sustainable alternative as they come from renewable sources. The use of wood chips as fuel is becoming more widespread due to their numerous advantages over traditional fuel sources. Wood chips have high calorific value and make an excellent fuel.
Where can you purchase wood chips?
Wood chips can be purchased at most sawmills or produced on your own. ALTERECO is also a manufacturer and provides customers with packaged wood chips (or larger quantities on pallets) ready to be used in the furnace.
THE QUALITY OF WOOD CHIPS MATTERS
The quality of wood chips is crucial because it determines the calorific value and fuel value of the product. Fraction that consists of splintered wood chips and is contaminated with soil, leaves, pieces of bark, or small branches has a low fuel value and cannot be considered as a high-quality product. Therefore, it is essential for wood chips to be of similar size, not exceed a certain moisture content, and be free from impurities throughout the fraction.
High-quality wood chips for fuel
- Low and consistent moisture content, without moisture clusters or mold.
- Minimal presence of needles, leaves, small branches, and bark.
- Minimal presence of fine wood particles (< 3 mm).
- Free from soil or other contaminants.
- Uniform particle shape (without excessively long particles).
- Smooth and unfractured edges.
Low-quality wood chips for fuel:
- Splintered surface or edges.
- High presence of needles, leaves, small branches, and bark.
- Contaminated with soil or other substances and foreign bodies.
- Inconsistent particle size.
- High presence of fine wood particles and moisture content.
Heating value of wood-based biomass depending on moisture content
The energy content of wood is determined by its heating value (Hu). Heating value refers to the energy obtained from burning one kilogram of wet wood. The water contained in the combustion gases transforms into a vapor state. The heating value (Ho) additionally includes the heat of condensation of water vapor resulting from cooling to the initial temperature level. The amount of water present in the fuel batch is a fundamental factor influencing combustion. It determines the energy content and, consequently, the potential energy yield during combustion. The heating value of wood-based fuel practically ranges from 5.0 kWh/kg (18 MJ/kg) with a 5% moisture content to 1.5 kWh/kg (5.4 MJ/kg) with a 60% moisture content. This value depends on the wood species and to a significant extent on the water content or moisture of the wood. The moisture content has a decisive impact on partial load regulation and emission properties of the installation.
Determining moisture content
The moisture content is determined based on the drying process in a dryer, which is also the basis of the CEN standard. A fuel sample is taken using moist wood, and the material is dried for several hours in a cabinet dryer at approximately 105°C, after which it is reanalyzed. The amount of water present in the fuel is reported as the moisture content (w).
Range of fuel application depending on moisture content
A heating boiler can burn wood-based biomass with a moisture content ranging from 5 to 30%.
ALTERECO is manufacturer of high-quality wood chips
We produce wood chips in our own facilities. Our company guarantees the high quality of our products and timely order fulfillment. We are also a manufacturer of heating devices that utilize wood chips as fuel. Additionally, we sell machinery for wood chipping. At our company, you can purchase chippers and panel saws for furniture production.
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Are you a wood chip manufacturer?
Would you like to attract regular customers? Contact us. We will include your offer in our database. This way, users of our boilers from your area will be able to quickly get in touch with your company to arrange fuel deliveries to their homes. We encourage you to submit your application, as it will certainly contribute to the growing popularity of this type of fuel.